Mexico: The drug control and the army (and the police, and the federal police, and the state police, and the traffic police... and my forgotten immigration paper).

I was in the car with Licinio, enjoying the Yucatan landscapes, after a day spent at the Cenotes and Uxmal. We were heading back to Merida, when we got stopped at a checkpoint of the army. There were a few cars in a queue, and at each side of the street 2 agents in riot uniform with huge riot shield. We slowly proceeded in the queue, until a soldier approached us. Automatic rifle clearly in sight, steadily in his arms:

- license and car document - to Licinio, who promptly winded down and handed the documents to the officer. 

- Portuguese...  - continued the military - Living in Merida? Yes? All right. Then he glanced at me - He is not Mexican - he continued.

-He is Italian

- Relative? - raising an eyebrown

- Amigo

- Pull over - pointing at the other side of the street, without taking off his eyes from me.

He asked us to go out of the car, slowly. We did. We stayed at the side of the car, while the man very meticulously  checked every centimeters of the car. Once finished, 10 minutes later, he pointed at my rucksack:

- On that table. Open all the pockets. - firm, not so kind request. I didn't get the reason of such a bad temper.

He looked inside, pull out all my stuff and checked all the items. One by one. It's quite stressful to have the rucksack checked by a guy with a grim and very little reassuring grimace on his face, shouldering a machine gun. It took him 5 full minutes to check every item in the bag. Then, as if it was nothing and without even looking at us, he said:

- Gracias, adios. - already headed to the next car.

I forgot my immigration paper in Mexico city, during my trip in Yucatan and Palenque. Well, not really forgot: I just thought that in this way I would have not lost it somewhere. I didn't know it was not supposed to leave my passport. Therefore, every time they (army twice, police once) checked me, it took me half hour of spanish/italian/body language (not gazing too much into the eyes, surprise/apologizing face expression, innocent look at the passport) to explain that my paper was in Mexico city, where I have a friend hosting me, and yes, I am not illegally in the country trying to import the italian mafia model in your economy, I am a simple traveller. I have to say that, despite their not very kind temper (it was my fault overall, no complains) they never did nothing more than explaining me that I was supposed to have that paper with me. All the time. Next time, por favor, remember that, 'hoja de inmigración', in the passport. Yes, you can go, stupid tourist..